US Rare Earth Miner MP Materials Halts Exports to China

A US producer of rare earth metals stopped shipments to China after Beijing placed export controls on similar materials crucial for defense and technology manufacturing.

MP Materials Corp., which operates a mine and processing facility in California, said Thursday it would halt sales of its rare earth elements to China as part of an effort to “reindustrialize” the minerals supply chain in the US.

The move follows Chinese restrictions announced earlier this month that are expected to have broad impacts on companies making optical lasers, radar devices and high-powered magnets used in wind turbines, jet engine coatings and other ...